# Golfing robot can hit hole-in-ones **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422 "2020-03-13T17:20:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/1 "2020-03-13T17:20:15Z")
[Would be fun to see a tournament of these](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/fhzyya/skynet_has_started/). First robot to not hit a hole-in-one on any hole gets disqualified, until eventually only one remains. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/2 "2020-03-13T17:55:54Z")
I love the first comment: “That robot has a great career ahead of him, until we find out he cheated on his wife” LOL ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/3 "2020-03-13T18:09:37Z")
Can’t view vid, but I’d be astounded if any robot could reliably get holes-in-1. Just too many variables. Even the shortest par 3 is going to be at least 100 yds. Wind can vary second to second throughout that length. Humidity and temperature will have an effect. Moreover, unless it jars the shot, some portion will need to be bounce/roll on the greens, which brings in to play the firmness/grass length/etc. Heck, even 100% of perfectly struck putts over a certain length won’t drop, just due to the variabilities of the natural surface. Getting a shot (\>50 yds) within a short distance of the cup is skill. Holing it is luck. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/4 "2020-03-13T18:15:21Z")
^ This. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/5 "2020-03-13T18:24:10Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Can’t view vid, but I’d be astounded if any robot could reliably get holes-in-1. Just too many variables. Even the shortest par 3 is going to be at least 100 yds. Wind can vary second to second throughout that length. Humidity and temperature will have an effect. Moreover, unless it jars the shot, some portion will need to be bounce/roll on the greens, which brings in to play the firmness/grass length/etc. > > Heck, even 100% of perfectly struck putts over a certain length won’t drop, just due to the variabilities of the natural surface. > > Getting a shot (\>50 yds) within a short distance of the cup is skill. Holing it is luck. Well, that video is from 2016, and should more accurately be called “Robot golfer hits hole-in-one after 5 tries” see [here](http://https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/golfing-robot-hit-a-hole-in-one/) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/6 "2020-03-13T19:55:04Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, that video is from 2016, and should more accurately be called “Robot golfer hits hole-in-one after 5 tries” > > see [here](http://https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/golfing-robot-hit-a-hole-in-one/) My mom and dad used to talk about watching a pro tournament in the 50s. As they told it, Sam Snead was demonstrating some new kind of putter. My folks watched him attempt a great number of putts before making one. But when they saw a clip on the news that night, whaddya know? It went straight in the hole. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/7 "2020-03-14T00:36:08Z")
As a golfer who has witnessed about 20 Holes-in-Ones (including 5 of my own), IMO a hole in one is a combination of skill and luck Skill that the golfer gave the ball a chance to go in the hole Luck that it actually went in the hole ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/8 "2020-03-14T04:30:16Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I love the first comment: > > “That robot has a great career ahead of him, until we find out he cheated on his wife” > > LOL Or until someone finds he sent an old email with an offensive joke. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/9 "2020-03-14T06:39:00Z")
Pfft! They ain’t got shit on Kim Jung Whoever. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/10 "2020-03-14T07:57:05Z")
The trick is not robo-golfers but cyber-golf balls with GPS, a gyro, mini-thrusters, and drone controllers overhead. Even our POTUS could score then. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/11 "2020-03-14T12:31:39Z")
Ok, so what is the plural of hole-in-one? I say it’s holes-in-one (with or without the hyphens). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/12 "2020-03-14T13:13:42Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Ok, so what is the plural of hole-in-one? I say it’s holes-in-one (with or without the hyphens). That appears correct to me too, although in informal speech if someone were to say “he’s hit two hole in ones” I probably wouldn’t notice or care much. Same for things like “surgeon generals” instead of the correct “surgeons general.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/13 "2020-03-14T14:22:12Z")
Are these hole-in-ones/holes-in-one going in on the fly, cause that’d be way cool. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/14 "2020-03-14T21:10:12Z")
Didn’t Mao play a round in 18? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/15 "2020-03-15T04:37:35Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > The trick is not robo-golfers but cyber-golf balls with GPS, a gyro, mini-thrusters, and drone controllers overhead. Even our POTUS could score then. Mark Rober has done it with a [bowling ball](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wM5NHC97JBw), so it’s only a matter of time before the tech is miniaturized to a golf ball. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/16 "2020-03-15T06:13:53Z")
Would that be called “performance-enhancing”? We have pitchers now who have rebuilt arms attached in high school, but cant take a vitamin’C tab. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/17 "2020-03-15T14:29:58Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Mark Rober has done it with a [bowling ball](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wM5NHC97JBw), so it’s only a matter of time before the tech is miniaturized to a golf ball. He also got together with Destin and made rocket powered golf club. On one of their early attempts the club broke or got loose from the clamp and ended up a few hundred yards out. And then there was the robot controlled baseball bat that particularly terrifying since someone had to stand in front of it to pitch. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/golfing-robot-can-hit-hole-in-ones/849422/18 "2020-03-15T14:34:13Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > We have pitchers now who have rebuilt arms attached in high school, but cant take a vitamin’C tab. Wut.